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on Armie uncancels himself in Uwe Boll’s ‘Citizen Vigilante’… grab the signed Limited Edition Blu-ray before it’s gone!Uwe is a helleuva action director. The Rampage trilogy , Assualt on Wall Stre…
on ⚠️ Tornado Warning! ⚠️ John Maclean’s samurai-Western actioner ‘Tornado’ hits 4K Ultra HD in Julyfrom what i recall, there's very little action in the movie, it's just a regu…
on Contour (2006) ReviewI purchased the original DVD from HK Flix way back when. I think it goes for…
on Back to school again! Shout announces 4K Ultra HD for Ringo Lam’s 1988 Hong Kong action film ‘School on Fire’Zero interest if I can't watch the full movie including "Extended and Uncenso…
on Back to school again! Shout announces 4K Ultra HD for Ringo Lam’s 1988 Hong Kong action film ‘School on Fire’Even with the "Extended and Uncensored Footage"? If not, I'm sure Arrow is al…
on Shaw Brothers Classics Vol 8 | Blu-ray (Shout)Well, the answer is due to licencing, so your still where we were with region…
on Armie uncancels himself in Uwe Boll’s ‘Citizen Vigilante’… grab the signed Limited Edition Blu-ray before it’s gone!So because he became famous by being shit, we're now supposed to defend him b…
on I Love Maria | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Shout!)I wonder whether this version includes the scenes shown in the trailer but mi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’It doesn't have many fans on the west, but still John Woo's most popular movi…
on Hail to the thief! Arrow Video announces 4K Ultra HD for John Woo’s Hong Kong heist actioner ‘Once a Thief’Not a good movie: badly scripted, poorly directed. Looking so cheap... Next!
on The wait is nearly over! Jackie Chan’s 3D kung fu adventure ‘Magnificent Bodyguards’ arrives on Blu-ray this Julyalmost a year later let's pray we finally get it as promised lol
on Mao bang for your buck! Eureka’s announces the ‘Reap The Whirlwind: Four Films with Angela Mao’ Blu-ray collectionDammit. Another great release. So many of them coming along at the same time…
on The Kosugi ninja empire lives on! New Trailer for Shane Kosugi’s ‘Seek’ starring Kansuke Asano and Kane KosugiGlad to see that both of Sho Kosugi's sons have been actively busy(film world…
on Bruce Lee returns! Check out the thrilling New Trailer for the ‘Game of Death’-focused documentary ‘Broken Rhythm’That's exactly what I have, and it is awesome. I don't really know what else…
on 🦂 Feel that sting? Here’s the full details for 88 Films’ Blu-ray for the 1992 Golden Harvest classic ‘Operation Scorpio’This is an old favorite of mine. Dare I hope 88films will release this in 4k…
on Hop right to it! New Bruce Lee doc, ‘Mr. Vampire’ reboot and more arriving from veteran Hong Kong producer Bey LoganYou’re no random stranger, Ska. You’re someone hiding behind a fake name who…
on Tarantino says NO, but Lionsgate says GO: Details for the 4K, Blu-ray and VHS editions for ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’I'd only disagree with you, Ska on the extended anime sequence. For years I'v…
on Tarantino says NO, but Lionsgate says GO: Details for the 4K, Blu-ray and VHS editions for ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’Don't forget the influence of Swedish revenge flick Thriller: A Cruel Movie o…
Author Archives: Paul Bramhall
Exclusive: Interview with Kurando Mitsutake
If you’re not familiar with the name Kurando Mitsutake, it’s about time you should be. His first two feature length productions – Samurai Avenger: Blind Wolf, and Gun Woman – have both been released in the States, and his latest movie, Karate Kill, as of the time of writing is just weeks away from also hitting the shelves on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s been a long time since any new … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, News
South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin (1983) Review
Director: Wu Chia Chun Co-director: Casanova Wong Cast: Casanova Wong, Eagle Han Ying, Ma Chin Ku, Wang Kuan Hsiung, Chiang Cheng Running Time: 87 min. By Paul Bramhall In 1982, a year prior to the release of South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin, the movie that launched Jet Li into stardom, and triggered a wave of wushu influenced Shaolin movies, captured the imagination of Asian audiences in the form of Shaolin Temple. Made … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, Korean, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Casanova Wong (Ka Sa Fa), Eagle Han Ying, Wu Chia Chun
Karate Kill (2016) Review
Director: Kurando Mitsutake Writer: Kurando Mitsutake Cast: Hayate, David Sakurai, Asami, Katarina Leigh Waters, Mana Sakura, Kirk Geiger, Noriaki Kamata, Kirk Geiger, Tomm Voss, Jeffrey James Lippold Running Time: 85 min By Paul Bramhall Japanese action cinema has a history of making movies that act as a showcase for the karate skills of the stars that headline them, from Ken Kazama in Karate from Shaolin Temple back in 1976, to Rina … Continue reading
I Am a Hero (2015) Review
Director: Shinsuke Sato Cast: Yo Oizumi, Kasumi Arimura, Masami Nagasawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Yoshinori Okada, Nana Katase, Jin Katagiri, Makita Sports, Muga Tsukaji, Yu Tokui Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s rare for Asian movies to break out into the mainstream, and when they do, they’re normally of the martial arts variety. So in 2016, when the Korean zombie movie Train to Busan started getting global attention, thanks largely … Continue reading
Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) Review
AKA: Mad Mission 5 Director: Lau Kar-leung Cast: Samuel Hui Koon-kit , Karl Maka, Leslie Cheung, Nina Li Chi, Conan Lee, Billy Chong, Maria Cordero, Ha Chi Jan, Mark Houghton, Walter Tso Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s a distinct feeling with the fifth instalment of the Aces Go Places series, that the producers were trying to aim for as broad an audience as possible. Of course fans of … Continue reading
City Ninja | aka Ninja Holocaust (1985) Review
AKA: Rocky’s Love Affairs Director: Choi Young-chul Cast: Michael Chan Wai-Man, Casanova Wong, Andy Chworowsky, Chae Eun-hui, Eagle Han Ying, Park Yun-geun, John Ladalski, Mabel Kwong Mei-Bo Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s just get it out of the way upfront – City Ninja is such a muddled production, the very prospect of reviewing it and providing some kind of background of how it came to be is an intimidating one. Almost every source … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Ninja, Reviews
Tagged Casanova Wong (Ka Sa Fa), Eagle Han Ying, John Ladalski, Michael Chan Wai Man
HBO: The New Home of Kung Fu?
When you think of the famous studios responsible for producing some of the most popular kung fu classics, some names that will likely spring to mind are Golden Harvest, Shaw Brothers, and Cathay, to name but a few. One name that certainly wouldn’t be near the top of anyone’s list, or even on it at all for that matter, is American cable channel HBO. However at the end of 2016, … Continue reading
Dancing Warrior | aka Venom Warrior (1985) Review
AKA: Dancing King Director: Cheng Cheh Cast: Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, Yang Li-Su, Sun Jung Chi, Yang Guang-Yo, Chen Kuan-Tai, Got Heung Ting, Lui Fong, Dennis Brown, Anita Mui Yim Fong Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that legendary director Chang Cheh more than earned his moniker of the Godfather of Hong Kong action cinema, however while his crowning achievements are many, there can also be no doubt that the post-Shaw … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Anita Mui Yim Fong, Chang Cheh, Chen Kuan-tai, Ricky Cheng Tien Chi
Top 5 Greatest Action Entrances in Asian Cinema
Perhaps more than any other genre, making a good first impression in an action movie is paramount. Sure there can be some characterisation, plot setup etc. beforehand, but when that first action scene hits, it has to count. Because let’s face it, audiences are tuning into an action movie for action. If that first scene when things start to get physical is a damp squib of an excuse to get … Continue reading
The Kung fu Golden Era… had the Internet been around
As someone who got into the kung fu movie scene during the late 90’s, there’s always been a part of me which feels envious of those who got to experience the movies from the 70’s and 80’s golden era first hand, be it in a grindhouse cinema, or on an overly priced VHS tape. The sense of mystery, that came with movie watching back then, had essentially dissipated by the … Continue reading
Iron Monkey 2 (1996) Review
Director: Chiu Lo-Kong Cast: Donnie Yen, Billy Chow Bei Lei, Wu Ma, Alan Lee, Yuen Man Hing, Cheung, Li Wing Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall There are some movies out there that, with the very mention of their name, seem to cause confusion, and Iron Monkey 2 is without doubt one of those. A sequel to Yuen Woo Ping’s 1993 new wave classic that featured Yu Rong-Guang as … Continue reading
Missing You (2016) Review
Director: Mo Hong-jin Producer: Kim Dae-Geun Cast: Shim Eun-Kyung, Yoon Je-Moon, Kim Sung-Oh, Ahn Jae-Hong, Kim Won-Hae, Kim Hong-Fa Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall There can be no doubt that 2016 was a big year for Korean cinema, with several of the industry’s most prominent talents returning to the screen. After their ventures into Hollywood, directors Park Chan-wook and Kim Ji-woon returned to home soil, releasing The Handmaiden and Age … Continue reading
Operation Mekong (2016) Review
Director: Dante Lam Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Eddie Peng, Joyce Feng, Sun Chun, Sean Wu, Chen Baoguo, Johnathan Wu, Ken Lo, Carl Ng, Mandy Wei, Yu Dong, Liu Xianda Running Time: 124 min. By Paul Bramhall While Hollywood has long moved on from the flag waving macho heroics that dominated its action cinema in the 80’s, China appears to be going through its own period of nationalistic world saving. In a 12 month period … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Dante Lam, Eddie Peng, Vithaya Pansringarm, Zhang Hanyu
Mission Milano (2016) Review
Director: Wong Jing Producer: Wong Jing Cast: Andy Lau, Huang Xiaoming, Michelle Hu, Shen Teng, Wong Cho-lam, Michelle Hu, Nana Ouyang, Fung Bo Bo, Wu Yue, Xie Yilin, Mao Junjie, Xu Dongdong, Shen Teng, Zhao Yingjun, Qi Wei, Ken Lo, Philippe Joly Running Time: 103 min. By Paul Bramhall Remember the big fuss that was made when Jackie Chan made his 100th movie? Well, that same fuss isn’t being applied … Continue reading
Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews
Tagged Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Huang Xiaoming, Ken Lo, Mike Leeder, Wong Jing
Suddenly in the Dark (1981) Review
AKA: Suddenly in Dark Night Director: Go Yeong-nam Producer: Suh Byung-gi Cast: Kim Young-ae, Yoon Il-bong, Lee Gi-seon Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall While just like Shiri put Korean action movies on the map in 1999, a year prior the high school ghost tale Whispering Corridors did the same for the Korean horror movie. However both genres had been around for long before the titles that gained them international recognition, with horror … Continue reading
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